System, device, and method of electronic payment

ABSTRACT

A system and method allow a customer to perform self-checkout at a real-world non-virtual store or restaurant or other business establishment that the customer is visiting. The customer pre-defines an electronic payment method. The customer visits the business establishment, and the system generates a unique user-specific code that is a function of the time, the location, and the specific customer. The code is displayed on the mobile device of the customer, which is then shown to an employee of the business establishment, which then enters the unique code into a Point of Sale terminal; thereby generating an association between an ongoing open tab of the customer, and the mobile device of the customer. The customer is able to perform self checkout of the open tab, without requiring action on behalf of the business establishment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority and benefit from U.S. provisionalpatent application No. 61/820,719, titled “System, Device, and Method ofElectronic Payment”, filed on May 8, 2013, which is hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

This application is a Continuation-In-Part (CIP) of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/411,570, titled “Device, System, and Method ofElectronic Payment”, filed on Mar. 4, 2012, which is hereby incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of electronic payments.

BACKGROUND

Many people frequent restaurants, diners, bars, and other establishmentswhich may offer various food items and drinks. For example, a patron ina restaurant may order food items and drinks from a waiter, by selectingitems from a printed menu of the restaurant.

In many establishments, particularly those in which waiters andwaitresses serve food items, the patron is expected to pay uponcompletion of his meal rather than while ordering the food items. Forexample, once the patron consumed his food and drink and is ready toleave the restaurant, the patron may summon the waiter to request acheck or a bill for the meal. The waiter may generate the check, forexample, manually or from a cash register of the restaurant, and maybring the check to the patron (e.g., optionally on a small tray on in aleather booklet). The patron may then pay the bill for his meal, forexample, by cash, by writing a personal check, or by providing a creditcard or debit card to be charged by the restaurant.

SUMMARY

The present invention may provide, for example, devices, systems, andmethod of electronic payment.

According to the present invention, a patron in a restaurant may be ableto utilize his smartphone (or other portable wireless electronic device,or portable device able to connect to the Internet or to a cellularnetwork) in order to autonomously close his open tab at a restaurant (orother business establishment being visited by the patron), and toelectronically pay the amount due to the restaurant as well as adiscretionary gratuity.

According to the present invention, the patron may perform theseoperations without the need to summon a waiter or to signal to a waiter,and without the need to request a check or to wait for receiving aprinted (or handwritten) check. Furthermore, the patron may autonomouslyclose his tab, pay, and leave the restaurant without the need to give tothe waiter any tangible object (e.g., credit card, debit card, cash),and without the need to wait for receiving any tangible object back fromthe waiter (e.g., receiving back a credit card or debit card; orreceiving back change in cash)

In accordance with the present invention, for example, a server tofacilitate electronic payment to a business establishment may include: acustomer profile database to store at least payment method informationprovided by a consumer; and an associator module to receive a messageindicating that said consumer is visiting said business establishment,and to generate a unique code temporarily associating a smartphone ofsaid consumer to a purchase tab associated with said consumer at saidbusiness establishment.

In accordance with the present invention, for example, a point-of-saleterminal for use in a business establishment may include a tabassociator module to temporarily link between (i) a purchase tab of apatron of said business establishment, and (ii) a portable electronicdevice of said patron.

In accordance with the present invention, for example, a methodimplementable on a portable electronic device of a consumer may include:transmitting to a remote server an indication of an identity of abusiness establishment in which said portable electronic device islocated; and receiving from said remote server a unique code temporarilylinking said portable electronic device with a purchase tab associatedwith said consumer at said business establishment.

The present invention may provide other and/or additional benefitsand/or advantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in thefigures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, thedimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to otherelements for clarity of presentation. Furthermore, reference numeralsmay be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogouselements. The figures are listed below.

FIGS. 1A-1D are schematic block diagram illustrations of a system andits components, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic flow-chart diagram of a method of electronicpayment, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of some embodiments.However, it will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the artthat some embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, unitsand/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscurethe discussion.

Applicants have realized that a patron at a restaurant, who has consumedhis meal and desires to leave, may be required to waste time by tryingto catch the attention of a waiter, by having to summon the waiter, byrequesting a check from the waiter, by waiting to receive a printedcheck or a written check from the waiter, by summoning the waiter againin order to provide a tangible payment instrument (e.g., cash, creditcard, debit card), and by waiting for the waiter to return yet againwith a tangible item (e.g., change in cash; receipt of credit cardpayment or debit card payment).

Applicants have further realized that the power to end a patron's visitin a restaurant is not in the hands of the patron, who is dependent onthe attention and availability of the waiter. Applicants have furtherrealized that a smartphone or other mobile electronic device may beutilized in order to shift the power to end the patron's visit to beentirely at the hands of the patron, and to allow the patron toautonomously and independently “close the tab”, optionally add adiscretionary gratuity amount (“tip”), pay the restaurant (e.g.,electronically), and leave the restaurant, with requiring any furtherattention or assistance from a waiter or from other staff member of therestaurant.

Although portions of the discussion herein may relate, for demonstrativepurposes, to payment made by a patron to a restaurant for food items,the present invention may be used in conjunction with payments made toother business establishments or vendors or sellers, and/or for othertypes of goods and/or services.

Reference is made to FIG. 1A, which is a schematic block diagramillustration of a system 100 in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments of the present invention. System 100 may include, forexample, a Point Of Sale (POS) terminal 110, a smartphone 150, anoperator server 140, and optionally a waiter portable terminal 170.Reference is further made to FIG. 1B, which shows in greater detail POSterminal 110 and its components; to FIG. 1C, which shows in greaterdetail operator server 140 and its components; and to FIG. 1D, whichshows in greater detail smartphone 150 and its components.

In accordance with the present invention, POS terminal 110 may beoperated by an establishment, whereas smartphone 150 may be operated bya patron. Operator server 140 may be operated by a third-party provider,or by the establishment which also operates POS terminal 110.Optionally, waiter portable terminal 170 may be operated by a waiter orother service person of that establishment.

The establishment may register its POS terminal 110 with operator server140. Similarly, the patron may register his smartphone 150 with operatorserver 140; and may provide to operator server one or more paymentmethod information items of the patron, for example, credit card data(e.g., type of card, name on card, card number, expiration date,security code).

The patron may indicate to operator server 140, that the patron isvisiting the particular establishment. Optionally, smartphone 150 mayautonomously detect the identity of the visited establishment, forexample, based on Global Positioning System (GPS) data or otherlocation-based data that smartphone 150 may obtain.

In response, operator server 140 may generate a unique code (e.g., afour-character string), and may provide the unique code to smartphone150 of the patron. In some embodiments of the present invention, theunique code may be generated by operation server substantiallyimmediately, and without performing pre-authorization or authorizationoperations. In other embodiments of the present invention, the uniquecode may be generated only after operator server 140 performspre-authorization of a payment method entered by the patron (forexample, credit card or debit card), optionally pre-authorizing apre-defined monetary amount which may depend on the type or identity ofthe establishment (e.g., 100 Dollars for a restaurant; 60 Dollars for acoffeeshop); this way the merchant or vendor that operates theestablishment is ensured that the transaction will clear. In someembodiments of the present invention, the unique code generated byoperator server 140 and provided to smartphone 150 of the patron may betime-sensitive (e.g., may expire within a pre-defined time period, forexample, 180 minutes); and may be location-based (e.g., may allow atemporary linkage between smartphone 150 and POS terminal 110 ofestablishment 140, but not of a different establishment located at adifferent geographical place or even nearby or across the street); andmay be user-specific (e.g., such that smartphone 150 of a first patronreceives and utilizes a first unique code, whereas, a smartphone ofanother patron, which visits the same establishment at the same time,receives and utilizes a different unique code).

The patron may order food items from the establishment, for example,through a waiter; and the patron may provide the unique code to suchwaiter. In some embodiments of the present invention, the unique codemay be generated by operation server substantially immediately, andwithout performing pre-authorization or authorization operations. Inother embodiments of the present invention, the unique code may begenerated only after operator server 140 performs pre-authorization of apayment method entered by the patron (for example, credit card or debitcard), optionally pre-authorizing a pre-defined monetary amount whichmay depend on the type or identity of the establishment (e.g., 100Dollars for a restaurant; 60 Dollars for a coffeeshop); this way themerchant or vendor that operates the establishment is ensured that thetransaction will clear. In some embodiments of the present invention,the unique code generated by operator server 140 and provided tosmartphone 150 of the patron may be time-sensitive (e.g., may expirewithin a pre-defined time period, for example, 180 minutes); and may belocation-based (e.g., may allow a temporary linkage between smartphone150 and POS terminal 110 of establishment 140, but not of a differentestablishment located at a different geographical place or even nearbyor across the street); and may be user-specific (e.g., such thatsmartphone 150 of a first patron receives and utilizes a first uniquecode, whereas, a smartphone of another patron, which visits the sameestablishment at the same time, receives and utilizes a different uniquecode.

Accordingly, from that time and onward, the tab of the patron at theestablishment may be associated with the unique code that the patron'ssmartphone 150 received from operator server 140. The tab of the patronmay be managed by the establishment; for example, the waiter may utilizePOS terminal 110 to add to the patron's tab a food item thatestablishment any food item(s) that the patron orders.

In accordance with the present invention, the patron may autonomouslyand/or independently close his tab, pay electronically, and leave theestablishment, without requiring assistance and/or attention from thewaiter or from other workers of the establishment. For example, uponconsuming his meal, the patron may command his smartphone 150 to closethe tab and pay electronically. In response to such command, smartphone150 may send a signal to operator server 140, indicating that the patrondesires to close his tab and pay. Operator server 140 may send a messageto POS terminal 110, indicating that the patron desires to close his taband pay, the message indicating the unique code assigned to that patron.POS terminal 110 may autonomously close the tab associated with thatunique code; and may send back to operator server a message indicatingthe total amount due for payment by the patron for that closed tab.Operator server 140 may send to smartphone 150 a message indicating theamount due for payment.

The patron may, on his smartphone 150, the message sent by operator 140indicating the amount due for payment to the establishment. Optionally,the patron may utilize his smartphone 150 to indicate that the patrondesires to add to the amount due a discretionary gratuity amount, whichvalue the patron may provide to smartphone 150. Smartphone 150 may thusdisplay to the patron the total amount due, with the discretionarygratuity, for final confirmation of the patron.

The patron may then utilize his smartphone 150 to confirm the payment.As a result, smartphone 150 may send a message to operator server 140,indicating that the patron desires to electronically pay to theestablishment, and further indicating the total amount that the patrondesires to pay.

Operator server 140 may perform one or more processes in order toeffectuate the electronic payment that the patron instructed to perform.For example, in some embodiments, operator server 140 may utilize thepatron's previously-provided credit card data in order to charge thepatron's credit card with the total amount due (optionally, togetherwith an additional handling fee or convenience fee), and in order totransfer the amount due to an account of the establishment; and operatorserver 140 may send a message to POS terminal 110 indicating that theclosed tab has been paid by the customer, and optionally indicating theamount of gratuity added by the patron. In other embodiments, operatorserver 140 may perform the electronic payment as described above, butmay deduct a small handling fee or convenience fee from the total amountpaid to the establishment, rather than (or in addition to) adding suchfee to the amount charged to the patron's credit card. In still otherembodiments, operator server 140 may send to POS terminal 110 the creditcard data of the patron, such that POS terminal 110 of the establishmentmay perform the charging operations; and optionally, POS terminal 110may add a convenience fee to the charged amount, and/or may transfer theadded convenience fee to an account associated with operator server 140.

The present invention may be able to detect and handle a situation inwhich the patron begins utilizing the solution offered by the presentinvention, yet fails to complete the required process from the patron'sside, for example, due to lack of knowledge, due to a technical problem(e.g., sudden lack of wireless connection, or lack of battery power insmartphone 150), and/or due to human factors (e.g., the patron left theestablishment and forgot to close his tab and pay; or the patron exitedthe establishment intentionally without closing his tab or paying). Forexample, POS terminal 110 may store an open tab, associated with aunique code provided by the patron. If the patron fails to complete theoperations required on his side, then a waiter may instruct POS terminal110 to initiate a process that closes the tab and automatically chargesthe patron's credit card. For example, POS terminal 110 may send amessage to operator server 140, indicating that the tab of the patron,identified via the unique code, is now being closed at the initiative ofthe establishment, and further indicating the total amount due. Operatorserver 140 may receive the message; and may perform or initiate aprocess (e.g., similar to the charging process(es) described above) tocharge the credit card that the patron had previously provided tooperator server, and to ensure that the establishment of POS terminal110 receives the amount due for the closed tab. In some embodiments,operator server 140 and/or POS terminal 110 may automatically add, andcaused to be charged, an additional fee, handling fee, convenience fee,service fee, gratuity or “tip”, or other surcharge, which may be, forexample, a fixed amount (e.g., three dollars per tab or per payment), apercentage amount (e.g., ten percent of the total amount of the tab,with or without sales tax or VAT), a combination of fixed amount andpercentage amount, or may be based on other formula (e.g., possiblywaiving a service fee if a patron frequently visits the establishment;or possibly adding a smaller or larger amount of gratuity based on thetotal amount of the tab paid).

Data transferred from POS terminal 110 to operator server 140, and/ordata transferred from smartphone 150 to operator server 140, may includea value of the total amount due by the patron to the establishment.Optionally, the data transferred to operator server 140, from POSterminal 110 and/or from smartphone 150, may include a detailed list ofthe items ordered by the patron together with their correspondingprices, and/or indications of other items which may be relevant forcalculating a total amount due and/or for charging the patron's creditcard. Such additional data may include, for example, a percentage rateor a monetary amount of an applicable sales tax or an applicable ValueAdded Tax (VAT); a percentage rate or a monetary amount of a gratuity or“tip”; data about any relevant surcharges which may apply (e.g., asurcharge for a table having six or more diners); or the like.Optionally, such data may be stored by operator server 140 in adatabase, thereby allowing tracking, monitoring and/or data mining withregard to such data, for example, in order to identify food items that aparticular patron may be more likely or less likely to order, in generalor in a particular establishment or in a particular type ofestablishments (e.g., in bars, in restaurants, in convenience stores).Analysis results or other data mining insights produced by operatorserver 140 may be utilized by operator server 140 for marketing,advertising and/or promotions.

In a demonstrative example, data mining or analysis by operator server140 may indicate that a particular patron tends to frequently order aCosmopolitan drink in establishments that are bars, for example, becausethe patron ordered such drink in his last four visits to a certain bar(or to multiple bars). Accordingly, once operator server 140 receives anindication that the patron enters a particular bar, a location-based andpatron-tailored promotion may be provided by operator server 140. Forexample, operator 140 may send a message to smartphone 150, urging thepatron to purchase a Cosmopolitan drink; and optionally providing adiscount code or coupon or other promotion (e.g., a “two for one”promotion) if the patron performs such suggested purchase at thatestablishment within a pre-defined time period (e.g., within the samecalendar day, or within one hour).

In another demonstrative example, analysis by operator server 140 mayindicate that a particular patron has paid for coffee in six out of hereight most-recent visits to a particular restaurant (or, to a certainchain of restaurant). Accordingly, once operator server 140 receives anindication that the patron enters a particular convenience store (or, anestablishment of a similar type, such as a supermarket or food store), alocation-based and patron-tailored promotion may be provided by operatorserver 140, to the patron and/or to the establishment. For example,operator server 140 may send a message to POS terminal 110 of theestablishment, urging the salesperson of the establishment to offer tothat patron to purchase coffee with discount.

Other suitable types of marketing, advertising and/or promotionoperation may be performed, towards the patron and/or towards theestablishment, based on analysis of the data aggregated by operatorserver 140.

POS terminal 110 may include, for example, a transceiver 111, a tabopening module 112, a tab management module 113, a tab closure module114, a local payment module 115, a remote payment module 116, anabandoned tab detector 117, an abandoned tab handler 118, a unique codereceiver 119, a unique code database 120, a tab associator module 121, ascanner unit 122, an item recommendation module 123, and/or othersuitable components and/or modules which may be implemented by usinghardware and/or software.

Transceiver 111 may include, for example a wireless transceiver, a wiredtransceiver, or other suitable networking unit (e.g., a NetworkInterface Card (NIC) or modem) able to send and receive communicationsignals. Transceiver 111 may allow POS terminal 110 to exchangemessages, signals, and/or other communications with other components ofsystem 100, over one or more wired links and/or wireless links.

Tab opening module 112 may create a new tab for a patron, for example, anew “purchase tab” or a new “order tab” for a new patron who visits therestaurant. The new purchase tab may be opened prior to being linked toa smartphone of the patron; or, substantially together with being linkedto a smartphone of the patron.

Tab management module 113 allows waiter or a restaurant employee to additems to the tab (e.g., items ordered by the patron), to remove itemsfrom the tab (e.g., an item that the patron ordered and then requestedto cancel), to edit items on the tab (e.g., changing a component oringredient in an item), to add a surcharge to a tab or to a food item(e.g., a large party fee, or a wine opening (“corkage”) fee, or thelike), to give a discount on a tab or on a food item (e.g., discount toan employee of a certain organization, discount to a patron whocomplained about a problem), or the like.

Tab closure module 114 may allow the waiter or restaurant employee toclose a previously-opened tab, and may further generate, produce and/orprint a bill or a check for that tab, showing the items ordered and thetotal amount due.

Local payment module 115 may process a local payment by the patrondirectly to the restaurant, for example, if the patron tenders cash, ifthe patron pays by personal check, or if the patron pays by providing atangible (e.g., plastic) credit card or a tangible (e.g., plastic) debitcard to be charged or debited.

Remote payment module 116 may receive message(s) from remote operatorserver 140 indicating that a particular purchase tab has been paid for,or settled, via an electronic payment arranged remotely between operatorserver 140 and the patron, or via an electronic payment arrangedremotely between operator server 140 and smartphone 150 of the patron.In response, remote payment module 116 may locally mark that open tab as“closed and paid”.

Abandoned tab detector 117 may detect that a patron has left therestaurant without paying for his open purchase tab. Optionally, thedetection may be based on geo-location of a smartphone of that patron,which has been associated with such open purchase tab. Optionally,abandoned tab detector 117 be configured to determine that an opened tabhas been abandoned if one or more conditions hold true, for example, ifa predefined time period (e.g., five hours) elapsed since the tab waslastly updated or modified.

Abandoned tab handler 118 may initiate a process for remote electronicpayment from a patron's account at operator server 140, to therestaurant, in response to detection of an abandoned purchase tab.

Unique code receiver 119 may receive from operator server 140 a messageindicating a unique code (e.g., a string of letters and/or digits and/orcharacters) associated with smartphone 150.

Unique code database 120 may store multiple unique codes that areassociated, respectively, with smartphones of multiple patrons that arevisiting the restaurant or that visited the restaurant recently (e.g.,today, or in the past four hours), thereby allowing POS terminal 110 tobe concurrently and/or simultaneously utilized in conjunction withmultiple smartphone-using patrons.

Tab associator module 121 may create and maintain a link or associationbetween a smartphone of a patron and a purchase tab of the patron, basedon the unique code that POS terminal 110 received from operator server140. Optionally, the link may be temporary or time-sensitive, and mayautomatically expire (or be deleted or canceled) after a predefinedperiod, for example, within six hours of link creation. The link mayalso automatically expire or may be automatically canceled uponsettlement of the open purchase tab, through remote electronic paymentand/or through local payment.

Scanner unit 122 may be an optional component, which may be an integralor integrated part of POS terminal 110, or may be detached from POSterminal 110, or may be detachably-attached to POS terminal 110, or maybe connected to POS terminal 110 via wired link and/or wireless link.Scanner unit 122 may include a scanner, a sensor, a camera, an imageacquisition unit, a barcode reader, or other scanning component. Scannerunit 122 may be used by an employee of the restaurant in order to scanor photograph a display unit (e.g., a screen) of smartphone 150 whichmay display the unique code for linking smartphone 150 with a purchasetab. Optionally, scanner unit 122 may include, or may be associatedwith, image recognition and/or image analysis software, or OpticalCharacter Recognition (OCR) module or software, able to recognizecharacters from the captured image. POS terminal 110 may allow a waiterto enter the unique code in other suitable ways, for example, byentering data through a keyboard, a keypad, a virtual or on-screenkeyboard, a virtual or on-screen keypad, by uttering the code as voiceor audio and using voice recognition or audio analysis or speech-to-textconverter, and/or other suitable input methods.

Item recommendation module 123 may receive from operator server 140indication(s) of one or more preferred products, that a particularpatron having smartphone 150 (e.g., associated via a unique code with apurchase tab) has preferred in past visits to this restaurants, and/orto other restaurants or establishments (e.g., in general, or of the sametype as the current restaurant). Optionally, item recommendation module123 may receive from operator server 140 indication(s) of preferredproducts that a patron having a smarphone prefers, even if hersmartphone was not yet linked or associated with an open purchase tab atthe restaurant. For example, operator server 140 may detect that apreviously-registered user of operator server 140 is now visiting therestaurant; and even though such user has not yet requested to link hersmartphone with this restaurant, operator server 140 may already provideitem recommendations to POS terminal 110 of that restaurant.

Operator server 140 may include, for example, a transceiver 141, acustomer profile database 142, a customer transaction database 143, anestablishment database 144, a payment method information database 145, apayment module 146, a payment execution module 147, an associator module148, item recommendation module 149, and/or other suitable componentsand/or modules which may be implemented by using hardware and/orsoftware.

Transceiver 141 may include, for example a wireless transceiver, a wiredtransceiver, or other suitable networking unit (e.g., a NetworkInterface Card (NIC) or modem) able to send and receive communicationsignals. Transceiver 141 may allow operator server 140 to exchangemessages, signals, and/or other communications with other components ofsystem 100, over one or more wired links and/or wireless links.

Customer profile database 142 may store data about registered consumersor patrons who utilized, or who request to utilize, the electronicpayment process that is provided by operator server 140. Such data mayinclude, for example, personal information provided voluntarily by theuser (e.g., first name, last name, age, age range, gender, home address)and/or information obtained by other means (e.g., type or model ofmobile phone utilized by the user), as well as other optionalinformation (e.g., user-defined preferences with regard to whichrecommendations or promotions to receive).

Customer transaction database 143 may include data describing priortransactions, purchases and/or orders made by each registered consumer.The data may include, for example, names of establishments visited bythe consumer and the date and time of such visits (e.g., “The OctagonBar” on Mar. 5, 2011 at 7:14 PM); type(s) of establishments visited bythe consumer (e.g., “convenience store”, “restaurant”, “bar”, “gasstation store”, “hotel lounge”); a list of items ordered or purchased,and their respective prices; indication of whether or not the consumerhas used the electronic payment method in past visit(s) (or, forexample, opted to pay with cash or by tendering a plastic credit eventhough the consumer has associated his smartphone with a purchase tab);or the like. Optionally, customer transaction database 143 may beimplemented as a portion or a segment of purchase history, withinanother database, for example, within customer profile database 142.

Establishment database 144 may store data describing each establishmentthat registered with operator server 140. Such data may include, forexample, establishment name, establishment address, type ofestablishment, days and/or time in which the establishment is open tothe public (e.g., in order to determine whether or not to suggest tonearby consumers to visit the establishment), type of items offered bythe establishment (e.g., food, drinks, alcohol products, cigarettes,newspapers), types of promotions that the establishment indicated thatit may consider performing (e.g., “two-for-one” promotion; “buy one, getone at half price” promotion; a discounted price promotion inpercentages; a discounted price promotion in monetary amount), and/orother suitable data.

Payment method information database 145 may securely store, for example,information required for processing electronic payment by a customer.Such data may include, for example, credit card type, name on creditcard, expiration date, security code, or the like.

Payment module 146 may include a module to electronically pay to abusiness establishment for a purchase tab using payment methodinformation of a consumer having a smartphone (or other mobile device)and who requested to associate his smartphone with his purchase tab atthe establishment, for example, via a unique code sent by operatorserver 140 to the smartphone and then shown or conveyed by the consumerto a restaurant employee who enters the code into POS terminal 110 ofthe establishment.

Payment execution unit 147 may be part of payment module 146, or may beassociated therewith. Payment execution unit may perform electronicpayment to the business establishment, responsive to a wireless signalreceived from the smartphone indicating a command of the consumer toperform the electronic payment. Additionally or alternatively, paymentexecution unit may perform electronic payment to the businessestablishment, responsive to a signal received from the businessestablishment (e.g., from POS terminal 110) indicating a request of thebusiness establishment to perform the electronic payment and withoutreceiving a payment command from the smartphone of the consumer (e.g.,if the establishment detected that the consumer has left theestablishment without paying).

Associator module 148 may be able to receive a message from smartphone150, indicating that the consumer who utilizes smartphone 150 isvisiting the business establishment; and may be able to generate aunique code or string, temporarily associating or linking thatsmartphone 150 of that consumer to a purchase tab associated with theconsumer at the business establishment.

Recommendation module 149 may analyze data of items previously purchasedby the consumer, and may identify an item preferred by the consumer, andto send a recommendation message to POS terminal 110 of the businessestablishment indicating that the item is preferred by that consumer.Optionally, item recommendation module 149 may analyze the data of itemspreviously purchased by the consumer, may identify an item previouslypreferred by the consumer, and may send a recommendation message to thesmartphone of that consumer indicating that this preferred item isoffered at the business establishment currently being visited by thatconsumer. Optionally, a recommendation message may include a promotionalcomponent related to the item (e.g., a coupon, a discount code, apromotion code, a barcode).

Smartphone 150 may be any suitable type of mobile device, portableelectronic device, gaming device, tablet, Personal Digital Assistant(PDA) device, wireless communication device, or other suitable consumerelectronic device. Smartphone 150 may include, for example, a GPSreceiver 151, a wireless transceiver 152, an input unit 153, an outputunit 154, one or more applications 155, a remote payment application159, and a consumer club application 192.

GPS receiver 151 may include a receiver able to calculate geo-spatiallocation based on line-of-sight with multiple satellites, or anothersuitable component able to estimate or determine geo-spatial locationbased on other parameters.

Wireless transceiver 152 may include, for example, a 802.11 transceiveror “Wi-Fi” transceiver, a 802.16 transceiver or “Wi-Max” transceiver, acellular transceiver (e.g., 4G or 3G transceiver), or other suitabletransceiver able to send and receive wireless communication signals.

Input unit 153 may include, for example, a physical keyboard, a virtualkeyboard displayed on a touch-screen, a stylus or pen, a touchpad, amicrophone, or the like.

Output unit 154 may include, for example, a display unit, a screen, atouch-screen, a multi-touch screen, one or more speakers, or the like.

Applications 155 may include, for example, one or more communicationapplications, or other applications for a smartphone, mobile device, orthe like. Remote payment application 159 may be or may include adedicated or general-purpose application which may be pre-provided withsmartphone 150, or may be downloaded to smartphone 150 (e.g., from theInternet, from an online application store or application market), ormay be otherwise installed into smartphone 150. Optionally, a dedicatedapplication (e.g., remote payment application 159) may be distributed(for free, or for a price) by the owner or administrator of operatorserver 140 in order to allow users to register with operator server 140and to allow such registered users to utilize the electronic paymentprocess provided by operator server 140.

Smartphone 150 may transmit to server operator 140 an indication of anidentity of a business establishment in which smartphone 150 is located.In response, smartphone 150 may receive from operator server 140 aunique code temporarily linking smartphone 150 with a purchase tabassociated with that consumer (who utilizes smartphone 150) at thatbusiness establishment.

Optionally, smartphone 150 may first receive a command from the consumerto pay for her purchase tab; and only then, smartphone 150 may transmitthe linking request to operator server 140.

Smartphone 150 may wirelessly transmit payment method informationexclusively to operator server 140, which may be located externally tothe business establishment visited by the consumer; and smartphone 150may avoid transmission of payment method information to a receiverwithin the business establishment.

Smartphone 150 may utilize GPS receiver 151 to determine a geo-spatiallocation of smartphone 150; and may further determine the identity ofthe business establishment based on the geo-spatial location ofsmartphone 150, for example, by utilizing a local or remote director ormapping service or landmark service. Optionally, smartphone 150 maywirelessly transmit the geo-spatial location information to operatorserver 140, and may wirelessly receive from operator server 140 a listof one or more candidate establishments located in proximity to thatgeo-spatial location. Then, input unit 153 may receive a user selectionof the relevant business establishment from the list of candidateestablishment(s) presented to the user via output unit 154.

Smartphone 150 may include other suitable components, for example, aprocessor (e.g., a general purpose processor, a specific processor, acontroller, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), circuitry, an IntegratedCircuit (IC), a logic component, a single-core or multiple-coreprocessor, or the like); a memory unit (e.g., phone memory; SecureDigital (SD) card; SIM card; Flash memory; volatile memory; non-volatilememory; RAM; or the like); a storage unit (e.g., a Flash storage unit, aminiature hard disk, a SIM card, non-volatile storage); an antenna; oneor more cameras; an Operating System (OS); one or more input/outputports (e.g., a USB port, an HDMI port, an earphone socket); a Bluetoothtransceiver or component; an Infra-Red (IR) transceiver or component; orthe like.

Waiter portable terminal 170 may be an optional accessory or device ableto wirelessly communicate with POS terminal 110, and/or able to performone or more functions that POS terminal 110 may perform, while beingportable and mobile. For example, waiter portable terminal 170 may allowa waiter to open a new tab, take orders, modify a tab, close a tab, orthe like. Optionally, waiter portable terminal 170 may include an inputunit (e.g., physical keyboard, physical keypad, virtual on-screenkeyboard, virtual on-screen keypad, touch-screen) that a waiter may usein order to enter a unique code, shown to the waiter by a consumer onher smartphone, the unique code temporarily linking the smartphone ofthe consumer to her purchase tab at the establishment. Optionally,waiter portable terminal 170 may include a scanning unit or scanner ableto capture an image of the unique code (displayed on the smartphone),process it (e.g., using OCR or other technique), and extract the uniquecode. The unique code may be sent wirelessly from the waiter portableterminal 170 to POS terminal 110, and in response, POS terminal 110 maylink the identified smartphone to the corresponding purchase tab (e.g.,based on the waiter indicating manually, or inputting, which table orparty or consumer is associated with that smartphone, such as, “Table 5”or “Tab 17”, or the like).

In accordance with the present invention, a consumer may elect to linkher smartphone to a purchase tab, but then, to avoid payment by theremote electronic process, and to opt for paying locally, for example,by tendering cash or a tangible credit card. In such case, POS terminal110 may locally close the purchase tab and may locally send a signal tooperator server 140 that the tab has been settled locally and thatremote payment is not required for this tab.

Optionally, the patron may split a tab between local payment and remotepayment. For example, the patron may utilize his smartphone 150 tocommand closure of the tab; to see that the total amount due is 35Dollars; to command through smartphone 150 that 20 Dollars be paidelectronically via his credit card, and that the remaining 15 Dollars(with an optional gratuity amount) be paid locally by the user (e.g.,via cash, or by tendering a physical credit card to a waiter).Optionally, this mechanism may be used in order to split a common billor tab between two consumers.

The present invention may allow multiple consumers with multiplerespective smartphones (or other mobile devices) to share a unified taband/or to pay portions of a unified tab. For example, Adam and Eve maydine out together, Adam carrying his smartphone and Eve carrying hertablet. Each one of them may request and receive a unique code for hisor her mobile device. In some embodiments of the present invention, andthe waiter may keep two separate purchase tabs corresponding to theirtwo unique codes and mobile devices, such that each one of Adam and Evenpays separately for his or her own items. In other embodiments of thepresent invention, the two unique codes may be associated with a singlepurchase tab common to both Adam and Eve; and they may later decidebetween them, which one of them will utilize his or her mobile device inorder to pay the entire tab. Alternatively, they may 70% of the tab andEve will pay 30% of the tab, and their mobile devices may be utilized inorder to command the operator server 140 to process these two electronicpayments at this ratio. Optionally, one of Adam and Even may utilizeremote electronic payment to pay a portion of the unified tab, while theother person may tender cash or a tangible credit card in order to payfor the remainder portion of the unified tab. Other suitable paymentmechanisms may be used.

The present invention may allow rapid and efficient creation of a“Consumer Club” for a business establishment, including for small-sizebusiness establishments (e.g., a local diner, a single-branchrestaurant, a local store, or the like). For example, operator server140 may identify that Adam is visiting a particular restaurant, and mayask Adam via his smartphone whether Adam would like to join a ConsumerClub of that restaurant and thus receive various promotions. If Adamresponds positively, operator server 140 may send to Adam's smartphone acoupon or a promotion code pre-defined by the establishment as anincentive for new Consumer Club members. Operator server 140 may keeprecord of Consumer Club members and their personal information andtransaction history, for example, in a Consumer Club database 191associated with each particular establishment. Upon a subsequent visitof the club member to that establishment, operator server 140 may detectthat the visitor is already a club member, and may thus automaticallyprovide the patron with suitable benefits. Optionally, the data inConsumer Club database 191, or a portion thereof, may be accessible bythe establishment, or may be browsed or searched by the establishment,for further marketing purposes.

In some embodiments, joining such Consumer Club may be free; whereas inother embodiments, it may require a one-time fee, or aperiodically-recurring fee (e.g., monthly fee or annual fee).Furthermore, an establishment may offer more than one type of ConsumerClub to various groups of patrons; for example, a “silver” Consumer Clubthat provides certain benefits to all patrons for free; a “Gold”Consumer Club that provides increased benefits to patrons that paid amonthly membership fee; and a “Platinum” Consumer Club that provideseven higher benefits to patrons that meet certain conditions (e.g.,purchased from the establishment more than a threshold monetary valueper year; are employees of the establishment or of a particularorganization). Optionally, a Consumer Club application 192 may run onsmartphone 150, as a stand-alone application or as part of anapplication used by operator server 140 for remote electronic payments.

The present invention may allow an establishment to efficiently initiateand manage a Deals scheme in an electronic or digital format. Forexample, a coffeeshop may provide each patron a paper ticket having tensquares, and may stamp one square each time the patron purchases acoffee; such that upon stamping all ten squares, the patron may receivea free item by tendering his paper ticket to the coffeeshop. Thismechanism may be replaced by a digital system enabled by operator server140 and/or POS terminal 110, which may track the purchases done by apatron, and may provide an incentive upon completion of the requiredquota of purchases. In some embodiments, a purchase may provide “virtualpoints” to a patron; and multiple patrons sharing a unified tab maysplit the virtual points evenly among them, or may allocate virtualpoints to each patron based on the items that he ordered, or based onthe order in which patrons joined the table to the unified tab (e.g., ina party of three patrons that ordered two coffees, the first two patronsthat joined may receive the virtual points for the two coffees).Optionally, virtual points may have an expiration date. In a subsequentvisit of the patron to the establishment, system 100 may check whetheror not he is entitled to a promotion based on his previous purchases(e.g., reached an accumulation of ten coffees purchased already), andmay offer to the patron (through his smartphone 150) whether or not toaccept the offered promotion (e.g., a free sandwich). If the patronaccepts the offer, then smartphone 150 may display a unique string whichthe patron may show to the waiter; and in response, the waiter may orderthe promotional item. In such case, based on the unique string allocatedto that smartphone 150 for the earned promotion or deal, POS terminal110 may identify the record of that patron and may reset the number ofvirtual points due to the fulfillment of the benefit. Optionally, theestablishment may share with server operator 140 a list of productsoffered by the establishment, in order to allow the operator server 140to provide to the patron a particular product as the benefit orpromotion. Similar mechanism may be used for various types of promotionsor deals, for example, a discount on a subsequent purchase, a free item,a gift card, or the like. Optionally, a deal management module 193 maybe part of operator server 140, or a deal management module 194 may bepart of POS terminal 110, in order to manage and track such deals andpromotions for an establishment.

The present invention may be used in order to implement new types ofDeals, promotions, digital or electronic “punch-cards”, or digital orelectronic loyalty clubs or customer clubs, which may span more than asingle establishment or which may be cross-merchant orcross-establishment in their nature. In some embodiments, system 100 mayallow efficient implementation of a digital “punch card” which may besimilar to traditional paper-based cards, such that for any type ofcoffee that the patron orders (e.g., brewed coffee, espresso, latte, orthe like) a marking is virtually marked (“punched”), regardless of thetype of coffee ordered. In other embodiments, an establishment ormerchant (e.g., coffeeshop) may easily define that one digitalpunch-card be used to accumulate virtual markings of regular (brewed)coffee, whereas a separate digital punch-card be used to track espressodrinks, and a third separate digital punch card may track the purchasesof iced drinks (or alcoholic beverages, or the like); and management andtracking of multiple punch cards, per patron, may be efficientlyperformed. In yet other embodiments, cross-merchant or cross-vendorfunctionality may be achieved; for example, system 100 may track thepurchases that a patron performs using his smartphone 150 and the remoteelectronic payment route, and may digitally mark one virtual marking(“punch”) in a virtual punch-card every time that the patron ordered aSprite drink, even if the purchases were performed at differentestablishments that typically run their own punch-card schemes; therebyallowing to identify repeated purchases of a particular product by aloyal customer across multiple and unconnected merchants over time,possibly rewarding such customer for her repeated purchase, for example,e.g., by one of the establishments, or by a manufacturer of thepreferred product, or by the last establishment who virtually punchedthe last marking in the series. Other suitable virtual punch-cardschemes may be used, as well as single-merchant schemes and/orcross-merchant schemes; and operator server 140 may utilize a dedicatedmodule or component to manage and/or run such schemes, for example, across-merchant deal management module 196.

The present invention may allow an establishment to easily implement aGift Card program, which may be entirely digital or electronic in itsnature. For example, an establishment may utilize a gift card managementmodule 195 of POS terminal 110 in order to define one or more gift cardswhich may be electronically offered to patrons through theirsmartphones. Such offering may be specific to the establishment; or to achain associated with the establishment; or may be general to allestablishments (or a subset of establishments) that operate inconjunction with operator server 140. Optionally, a gift card may bedefined to have an added value as an incentive to purchase gift cards,together with an expiration date for the promotional added value; forexample, “purchase a 20 Dollar gift card to Triangle Coffeeshop by June15, and get additional 3 dollars value on your gift card”.

The patron may utilize a gift card module 196 on his smartphone 150,which may be a portion or a general application provided by operatorserver 140, in order to purchase and/or utilize such gift cards. Forexample, the patron may view on her smartphone 150 the gift cardoffering that were defined by various establishments; may purchase agift card, or may send an invitation to a friend to purchase a giftcard, or may purchase a gift card and request that the credit balance ofthe gift card be attributed to a friend. Optionally, a user may receivea gift card by performing certain pre-defined operations (e.g.,purchasing products at a minimum total value; referring a certain numberof friends to join the service and/or to perform transactions throughthe system; or the like). A purchase gift card may be reloaded with morefunds, using smartphone 150; and may appear to the user of smartphone150 as one of a set of user-defined payment methods (e.g., similar to acredit card or debit card whose information the patron already enteredto smartphone 150 and transmitted to operator server 140).

In some embodiments of the present invention, credit card information orother payment method information may be stored exclusively in a securedstorage of operator server 140; and may not be shared with, or known by,the establishment or its POS terminal 110; and may not be stored locallyby smartphone 150 of the patron. This architecture may provide securityand privacy, may minimize fraudulent usage of the payment methodinformation; may alleviate risks associated with losing of a smartphoneor fraudulent actions by an establishment's employees; and may provideincreased security to patron's payment method information.

Components and/or modules (e.g., consumer club module, gift card module,punch card module, loyalty club module, history tracking module, or thelike) which may be shown herein, or may be described herein, asappearing in a particular device of system 100, may optionally beimplemented (additionally or alternatively) in other device(s) of system100. This may provide system 100 flexibility in implementation, forexample, by utilizing an off-the-shelf or conventional POS terminalwhich may receive various services or solutions from the remote operatorserver 140; and/or a dedicated or proprietary POS terminal which mayintegrate therein one or more of the functionalities or modulesdescribed herein, or vice versa.

It is noted that some or all of the communication links, that areindicated with arrows in FIG. 1A, may be optional and are shown fordemonstrative purposes. In some embodiments, smartphone 150 may not beable to communicate directly with POS terminal 110, but rather, onlythrough operator server 140. In some embodiments, POS terminal 110 maynot be able to communicate directly with smartphone 150, but rather,only through operator server 140. In other embodiments, optionally,smartphone 150 and POS terminal 110 may be able to directly communicatebetween them. Similarly, smartphone 150 and waiter portable terminal 170may be not necessarily be able to communicate between themselvesdirectly.

The term “phone” as used herein may include, for example, a cellularphone, a cellphone, a smartphone, a handheld device, a portable wirelessdevice, a mobile communication device, a tablet, an electronic book(e-book) reader, a portable device capable of wireless communication, ahandheld device capable of wireless communication, or the like.

The terms “patron” or “consumer” as used herein may include, forexample, a customer, a client, a user, a visitor, a person who isrequired or expected to make a payment to a vendor of goods and/orservices, a person who desires to make a payment to a vendor of goodsand/or services, or the like.

The terms “establishment” or “business establishment” or “vendor” asused herein may include, for example, a merchant, a vendor, arestaurant, a bar, a diner, an eatery, a kiosk, a lounge, a shop, astore, or other suitable establishment which may offer (e.g., to thepublic, or to members) food items, drinks, entertainment, or other goodsand/or services.

Reference is made to FIG. 2, which is a schematic flow-chart diagram ofa method of electronic payment, in accordance with some demonstrativeembodiments of the present invention. The method may be implemented, forexample, by system 100 of FIG. 1A, or by one or more components thereof.

The method may optionally include, for example, determining an identityof an establishment being visited by a patron having a smartphone (block210). This may be performed, for example, by the smartphone and/or bythe operator server, based on location information (e.g., smartphone GPSdata, correlated with mapping information or business directory).

The method may optionally include, for example, receiving a patronrequest via his smartphone, to link his smartphone to a purchase tab ofthe establishment (block 215).

The method may optionally include, for example, receiving payment methodinformation (e.g., credit card data) of the patron (block 220); securelystoring the payment method information remotely in the operator server(block 225); and performing pre-authorization of the payment methodinformation for a predefined monetary amount (block 230). It is notedthat in some embodiments, operations may be performed in other suitableorder; for example, the method may firstly receive payment informationfrom the patron (e.g., initially and even before the patron visits anestablishment); and only later perform the process to link between thesmartphone and a purchase tab (e.g., upon the patron visiting theestablishment); and the pre-authorization of the payment methodinformation may be performed at one or more suitable points in time(e.g., upon initial registration of the patron; upon firstly receivingfrom the patron the payment method information; upon identifying thatthe patron visits an establishment; upon receiving a patron request tolink her smartphone to a purchase tab; or the like).

The method may optionally include, for example, generating atime-sensitive location-based user-specific unique code (block 235); andwirelessly transmitting the unique code to the smartphone of the patron(block 240). The patron may receive the unique code on his smartphone;may show or tell the unique code to the waiter; and the waiter may enterthe unique code into a POS terminal of the establishment, to link thesmartphone of the patron with a new purchase tab or with apreviously-created and currently-open purchase tab. The purchase tab maythen be managed by the waiter, for example, by adding to the tab itemsthat the patron orders.

It is noted that the method may include other and/or additionaloperations, which may not necessarily be shown in FIG. 2 in order tomaintain clarity and simplicity. For example, after the operation ofblock 240, the patron may manually show (or convey, or tell) the uniquecode to the waiter; the waiter may manually enter the unique code thatthe patron showed him, to the POS terminal in order to associate betweenthe patron and the relevant purchase tab; the POS terminal may send aquery to the remote operator server, to find out whether or not theunique code is valid, and optionally to request additional informationabout the patron; if the unique code is not valid (e.g., not validatedby the remote operator server), then no linkage and no association willbe created between the patron's smartphone and the purchase tab; if theunique code is valid (e.g., is validated by the remote operator server),linkage or association may be established between the purchase tabmanaged on the POS terminal, and the patron's smartphone, and further,patron information may be transferred from the remote operator server tothe POS terminal. Furthermore, as long as the purchase tab is open, thePOS terminal may optionally send to the remote operator server updatedand/or modifications to the purchase tab, such as, for example, additionof new items orders, removal of canceled items or returned items,discounts applied, surcharges applied, or the like. Additionally, whilethe purchase tab is open, the POS terminal may further query the remoteoperator server regarding discounts and promotions that were applied inthe past to that patron.

The method may optionally include, for example, receiving a command fromthe patron, via his smartphone, to close the tab and pay via remoteelectronic payment (block 245).

The method may optionally include, for example, receiving from the POSterminal of the establishment at least a total amount due for thepurchase tab of that patron (linked to the tab by the unique code)(block 250); and performing the electronic payment of at least thatamount, by using the previously-received payment method information ofthat patron (block 255), such that the establishment's account may becredited by the amount due for the tab. This may include, for example,performing clearing or defrayal of the credit card or debit cardpreviously provided by the patron.

The method may optionally include, for example, transmitting a messageto the POS terminal of the establishment, and/or to the smartphone ofthe patron, indicating that the tab is closed and paid (block 260).

Optionally, the remote operator server may then process the new itemsthat the patron has just purchased and paid for. Such processing mayinclude, for example, updating a relevant promotion data segment ordeals data segment, updating one or more virtual punch-cards based onthe purchased made and paid for, identifying the eligibility of thepatron for a promotion based on the added purchases, or the like.

Other suitable operations may be used, in accordance with the presentinvention.

The present invention may further provide devices, systems, and methodsof customer-based transaction processing.

Applicants have realized that from a Merchant's business perspective,there may be two different types of service providers: a first businessprovider that provides a service having an added value, and a secondbusiness provider that causes capturing of new business (e.g., newcustomers, new clients, new market segments).

Applicants have realized that some Merchants are slow or not egger totransact with a business provider of the first type, and are reluctantto pay for such “added value services”; mainly due the fact that theMerchants view this as letting go on part of their existing income,regardless of the value which the service may add to them.

Applicants have also realized that on the other end, for services whichare perceived by Merchant to be services of the second type (e.g., whichbring new customers or new transactions), many Merchants are willing toadopt and pay, mainly due to the fact that such type of services areregarded as bringing in “new revenue” or “new money”, and the Merchanthas little or nothing to lose by adopting such type of service.

Applicants have realized that some service providers in the field ofmobile payments are struggling with low profit margins; whereas otherservice providers, which operate in the field of marketing (e.g.,group-based purchasing) may be enjoying higher profit margins that canreach, for example, 10 to 25 percent or even higher profit margins.

Applicants have realized that mobile payments are still regarded asless-desired services of the first type, and that an opportunity existsto modify the existing systems and methods in order to re-characterizesuch mobile payments as the more-desired services of the second type andthereby creating a “win win” offering to the merchant.

The present invention may thus provide Customer Based Processing (CBP)of transactions and of mobile payments. The CBP model offers tomerchants a cost that is based on distinguishing or differentiatingbetween an “Existing Customer” and a “New Customer”, or between acustomer who has a “source” or “origin” linkage towards the merchantversus a customer who does not have such “source” or “origin” linkagetowards the merchant.

In some embodiments, the mobile payment system may create a “source” or“origin” linkage or association, between a user of a mobile device, andthe first merchant that caused or triggered that user to download and/orinstall the mobile payment application; or, the first merchant whocaused or triggered that user to sign-up or register with the mobilepayment system (e.g., create a user profile; enter payment methoddetails such as credit card details); or, the first merchant at whichthe user has actually used the mobile payment application for purchasinggoods and/or services. Other parameters or considerations may be usedfor determining that an “origin” or “source” linkage should be definedbetween a mobile device user and a particular merchant (or, a particularchain of merchants).

If a customer performs a mobile payment, at a merchant that is the“source” or “origin” merchant of that customer, then the mobile paymentis processed at a reduced processing fee, or at no cost for the merchant(e.g., no merchant-side commission by the mobile payment systemadministrator, no percentage or fixed amount of the price being deductedas merchant-side transaction fees), and also, at a reduced processingfee or at no cost for the customer (e.g., no customer-side commission bythe mobile payment system administrator, no percentage or fixed amountbeing added as customer-side transaction fees). For such customer, whoperforms a mobile payment transaction at an “origin” or “source”merchant, the mobile payment service is provided for free, at no cost tothe merchant and/or to the existing customer, or at a processing feethat is reduced relative to regular processing fees. The free serviceensures that the merchant is eager to adopt the mobile payment system,since no processing costs or processing fees are applied when anexisting customer of the merchant makes a transaction with the merchantthrough the mobile payment system.

In contrast, if the user performs a mobile payment at any othermerchant, namely, any merchant other than the merchant that is regardedas “origin” or “source” for that user (or, the chain of such merchant),then, the mobile system charges a regular (or increased, ornon-discounted, or non-reduced) processing fee or transaction fee (orcommission, which may be percentage based and/or fixed amount).Merchants are still eager to adopt the mobile payment system, as theyare paying a transaction fee or processing fee only for “new business.

The present invention allows to associate a between mobile device userand a merchant-of-origin (or, a group or chain of merchant that areregarded as origin for the user), or which may be regarded as a“source”, and may take into account a current location of a user inorder to determine the processing fee that will be charged (e.g., zerofee if the customer is transacting with the referring merchant, orregular fee if the customer is transacting with other merchants).

In a first example, a customer Adam visits a restaurant named Bob'sDiner. During his visit, Adam is offered to use the mobile paymentsystem of the present invention as described in detailed above. Suchoffer may arrive to Adam from a waiter, a flyer, a QR code, a mailinvitation, an email invitation, a social media posting, a social mediapage or link, a menu of the restaurant, a table stand, or the like andmay or may not offer an incentive to use the mobile payment applicationfor the first time. Adam decides to sign up; he downloads or otherwiseinstalls the mobile payment application on his electronic device (e.g.,smartphone or tablet), and he signs up (e.g., creates a new user profileor user account). As a result, the mobile payment system now associatesAdam with the establishment (Bob's Diner) that caused Adam to join (orto sign up to) the mobile payment system. Therefore, from that momentand onward (e.g., indefinitely, or for a pre-defined time period, forexample, 12 months), mobile payments from Adam to Bob's Diner will beprocessed at no cost, namely, without charging a processing fee (ortransaction fee, or other commission) to Adam and/or to Bob's Diner.Moreover, if Bob's Diner is actually a part of a chain of merchants(e.g., a chain of restaurants named Bob's Diner, having multiplebranches or locations), then the same no-cost processing may apply toall future purchases of Adam at all other branches of that particularchain. As a result, the mobile payment system operates at no cost to themerchant and to the customer, as if cash is processed; and the merchant(Bob's Diner) is satisfied since he provided a value to his customer (byallowing Adam to pay via Adam's mobile device) while the merchant is notcharged any processing fees or transaction fees (which typically rangebetween 1 to 4 percent).

In a second example, Adam is already an active user of the mobilepayment system, and is already associated with the merchant Bob's Dinerwhich elicited Adam to sign up. Adam now visits a differentestablishment, for example, Carl's Eatery. Adam is not associated withCarl's Eatery, and therefore Adam may be regarded as a new customer toCarl's Eatery, and the mobile payment system may debit a processing feeor a transaction fee (or other suitable commission or debit, which maybe merchant-side and/or customer side) on purchases that Adam performsat Carl's Eatery. For example, Adam may pay 10 Dollars through themobile payment system; the mobile payment system may keep 1 Dollar (tenpercent) as commission or processing fee, and may transfer 9 Dollars(ninety percent) to the merchant, Carl's Eatery. The merchant may besatisfied, for example, since a new customer (Adam) transacted newbusiness with the merchant, and the merchant paid a modest commission(e.g., ten percent in the above example) for such new business, insteadof paying a higher commission (e.g., 25 or even 50 percent) to otherservices that bring new customers (e.g., group purchases, which mightdamage the image or brand of the merchant).

The system may utilize one or more suitable ways in order to associatebetween a customer (a user of a mobile device) and a “source” (e.g., thefirst merchant that elicited the customer to sign-up for the mobilepayment system). In some implementations, the mobile payment system mayutilize an application for a mobile device, which may be downloaded froman application store. Every merchant that joins the mobile paymentsystem may receive a “link package” (e.g., unique digital items and/orprinted items) that may comprise a link to the merchant's businessand/or an indication associating the mobile payment system with thatparticular merchant. A customer who utilizes that unique link, may beredirected to the download page of the mobile payment application, andduring the sign-up process the mobile payment system may register anassociation linkage between the new customer who joined the system andthe merchant that referred the new customer. This may cause anindefinite association (or, a long-term association) between the newcustomer and the referring merchant.

The link package may include digital items, for example, a code patch(e.g., an HTML or JavaScript code) that the merchant may place on itswebsite, optionally associated with an image or banner or button havingthe referral link; a hyperlink, a share or post button, a social mediaplug-in or element, a picture having a QR code or other QR link, abanner, or the like. The link package may include printed items orphysical items, for example, a unique QR code that may be printed orused and which has the referral link and the referral details embeddedtherein; a sticker with QR code or link; a business card or brochure orflyer with QR code or link; or the like. Other suitable ways may beused.

The present invention may utilize a database which stores details ofmerchants; details of customers; a linkage between a customer and aparticular merchant (e.g., the merchant that firstly referred thecustomer to join the mobile payment system).

The present invention may comprise a mobile payment system, which maycharge a first processing fee (e.g., zero fee, or reduced fee) when acustomer transacts with the merchant that firstly induced the customerto join the mobile payment system (or with a chain of branches of thatparticular referring merchant); whereas, the system may charge a second,different, processing fee (e.g., regular fee, or increased fee) when acustomer transacts with other merchant(s), namely, non-referringmerchants.

The present invention may be used in conjunction with various types ofestablishments, venues, business entities and/or locations, which may beindependently owned and independently operated or may be part of a groupor chain of merchants; such as, for example, restaurants, diners, bars,pubs, beauty salons, nail salons, hair salons, or various establishmentswhich may offer various food items and/drinks and/or other items orservices.

The present invention may be utilized in a full-service establishment,as well as in self-service or partial-service or quick-serviceestablishments, or in any suitable location that has a POS terminal orthat has the capability to install a POS terminal, thereby allowing theuser to convey to the POS terminal (or to the person that operates thePOS terminal, if exists) a unique code that provides a link to thepayment card details of the user and allows a quick and convenientcheckout process.

The present invention may allow a mobile payment system to providedifferential merchant-side processing fees and/or differentialcustomer-side processing fees, based on the determination of whether ornot the mobile user and the particular merchant have an “origin” linkagebetween them. The “origin” linkage may exist, for example, between auser of a mobile device, and the merchant that was the first merchantwho induced that user to download and/or install and/or use the mobilepayment system, or to firstly register or sign-up with the mobilepayment system, or to firstly make a mobile payment via the mobilepayment system. Accordingly, transactions performed by the mobile userat his “origin” merchant (or chain of merchants), may enjoy reducedprocessing fees or zero processing fees.

Some embodiments may include a system or device or server to facilitateelectronic payment to a business establishment, the server comprising: acustomer profile database to store at least payment method informationprovided by a consumer; and an associator module (a) to receive amessage indicating that said consumer is visiting said businessestablishment, and (b) to generate a unique code temporarily associatinga smartphone of said consumer to a purchase tab associated with saidconsumer at said business establishment, and (c) to maintain saidpurchase tab open and accumulating purchased items until said smartphonewirelessly transmits a wireless communication signal indicating aconsumer command (A) to close said purchase tab and (B) to automaticallypay for accumulated purchased items by using a pre-defined electronicpayment method. If the server determines through an abandoned tabmodule, that the consumer exited the business establishment withoutclosing the purchase tab and without paying for the accumulatedpurchased items within a pre-defined time period, then the server is toautomatically close said purchase tab and to initiate electronic paymentto said business establishment from an electronic account of saidconsumer.

Some embodiments may include a point-of-sale (PoS) terminal for use in abusiness establishment, the point-of-sale terminal comprising: a tabassociator module to temporarily link between (i) a purchase tab of apatron of said business establishment, and (ii) a portable electronicdevice of said patron; a tab management module to maintain said purchasetab open and accumulating purchased items until said portable electronicdevice of said patron wirelessly transmits a wireless communicationsignal indicating a patron command (A) to close said purchase tab and(B) to automatically pay for accumulated purchased items by using apre-defined electronic payment method; an abandoned tab detector to makea determination that the consumer exited the business establishmentwithout closing the purchase tab and without paying for the accumulatedpurchased items within a pre-defined time period; wherein, in responseto said determination, the point-of-sale terminal is to automaticallyclose said purchase tab and to initiate electronic payment to saidbusiness establishment from an electronic account of said patron.

In some embodiments, the point-of-sale terminal may comprise: a tabmanagement module to associate between (A) an open and unified purchasetab, and (B) a first smartphone of a first consumer and a secondsmartphone of a second consumer; wherein upon receiving, from one ofsaid first smartphone and second smartphone, a command to close saidopen and unified purchase tab, the tab management module is (a) to closesaid open and unified purchase tab, and (b) split the unified purchasetab evenly between said first consumer and said second consumer, and (c)collect a first half of the unified purchase tab via a first electronicpayment from said first consumer, and collect a second half of theunified purchase tab via a second electronic payment from said secondconsumer.

In some embodiments, the point-of-sale terminal may comprise: a tabmanagement module to associate between (A) an open and unified purchasetab, and (B) a first smartphone of a first consumer and a secondsmartphone of a second consumer; wherein upon receiving, from one ofsaid first smartphone and second smartphone, a command to close saidopen and unified purchase tab, the tab management module is (a) to closesaid open and unified purchase tab, and (b) split the unified purchasetab unevenly between said first consumer and said second consumer basedon a ratio indication received from one of said first and secondsmartphones, and (c) collect a first portion of the unified purchase tabvia a first electronic payment from said first consumer, and collect asecond portion of the unified purchase tab via a second electronicpayment from said second consumer, wherein the first portion and thesecond portion have said ratio.

In some embodiments, the tab management module may support division of atab among two or more customers having two or more (respective) mobiledevices by using other division methods; for example, by allowing one ofthe customers (or some of the customers) to choose items and/or toallocate items to each of the divided portions of the tab; or byallowing users to split or divide the tab based on selection ofparticular item(s) that each customer ordered and/or consumed. In someembodiments that support division of an open tab, a group of two or morecustomers may share an open tab; a first customer may perform check-outand may pay autonomously (using his mobile device and using hispre-defined electronic payment method) for particular items on the tabthat he ordered and/or consumed (or that he decided to pay for); then,the second (or subsequent) customer that shares the open tab, may see onhis mobile device the open tab, without the items that the firstcustomer already paid for (or with those items shown in grayed-out text,or with strike-through, or other visual effect), and may proceed toselect the items that he would like to pay for, and then pay for themvia his mobile device; and so forth to subsequent customers that share asingle tab.

In some embodiments, the point-of-sale comprises means to wirelesslyreceive a signal from said portable electronic device of said patron,indicating a patron command to (i) pay a first portion of said purchasetab through the pre-defined electronic payment method, and (ii) pay asecond portion of said purchase tab through another, non-electronic,payment method; and in response to said signal, the point-of-saleterminal is to initiate electronic payment of only the first portion ofsaid purchase tab and not said second portion.

In some embodiments, the server is (A) to automatically detect that apatron having a smartphone is visiting said business establishment, andto automatically detect that said patron with said smartphone hadpreviously visited said business establishment; and (B) prior to saidpatron associating said smartphone with a point-of-sale terminal of saidbusiness establishment, transmitting to said point-of-sale terminalinformation indicating one or more preferred products that said patronhad previously preferred in said business establishment In someembodiments, the server is to receive from said smartphone of saidconsumer a wireless signal indicating payment method informationexclusively to said server located externally to said businessestablishment, and wherein said server and said smartphone avoidtransmission of said payment method information to a receiver withinsaid business establishment.

In contrast with the present invention, some conventional systems thatattempt to establish a connection between a PoS terminal of a merchantand a mobile device of a consumer, do not keep a purchase tab open inreal time, do not accumulate purchased items in real time into an opentab that is accessible by (viewable by) the mobile device as the opentab is being updated or modified, and/or do not close the tab only inresponse to a wireless signal indicating the consumer command (throughhis mobile device) to close the tab.

In contrast with the present invention, some conventional systems thatattempt to establish a connection between a PoS terminal of a merchantand a mobile device of a consumer, spring into action and associatebetween a smartphone and a Point-of-Sale terminal only after thepurchase transaction is completed by the consumer, and only after theconsumer added to his “virtual shopping cart” all the items that theconsumer decided to purchase, in order to perform electronic paymentinitiated by the consumer's smartphone, for a specific Transaction thatis already known and. In contrast, the present invention may allow tocreate the association prior to the stage in which the consumer alreadyadded all the desired items to his virtual shopping cart; and while theconsumer is still authorized and enabled to add items to his open tab atthe merchant, and while such open tab may still be updated and modifiedin real time based on new selections by the consumer.

In some embodiments, the remote server may utilize two-way communicationwith the PoS terminal; such as, to receive from the PoS terminal theinformation about a tab that needs to be paid for electronically, aswell as to transmit to the PoS terminal information about the customerwhose tab is being managed at the PoS terminal, discounts or coupons orpromotions or special offers or recommended items directed to thatspecific customer based on his logged history of past purchases, and/orother suitable data. In some embodiments, the remote server may becapable of remotely opening or remotely creating a new tab, at the PoSterminal, based on one or more triggering events; such as, an explicitrequest of a customer to remotely open such tab; an automaticidentification or detection that the customer entered or re-entered aparticular business establishment (e.g., that the customer visitedbefore, and in which the customer performed self-checkout before); aprocess that determines to initiate “predictive” tab opening based ondetecting certain operations of the customer (e.g., entering aparticular establishment; arriving to a vicinity of a particularestablishment, or a lobby or waiting area thereof); or other triggeringevents or conditions. Optionally, the remote server may be able toremotely add items to the tab being managed on the PoS terminal of theestablishment; and the remote server may be able to remotely close suchtab and to perform electronic payment for it, without requiring humanintervention and/or confirmation from an operator of the PoS terminal orfrom an employee of the business establishment.

In some embodiments, the system associates in advance between theconsumer smartphone and the Point-of-Sale, before the consumer purchasedor consumed any products, and before any transactions took place; andthe association maintains the consumer's tab open accumulating purchaseditems until the smartphone wirelessly transmits a wireless communicationsignal indicating a consumer command (A) to close the purchase tab and(B) to automatically pay for accumulated purchased items by using apre-defined electronic payment method.

Some conventional systems do not detect any “abandoned tab”, and do nothandle an abandoned tab for which the consumer failed to completepayment authorization. Some conventional systems rely on the consumer'sexplicit command or authorization, to perform the electronic payment.Some conventional systems regard an “abandoned tab” as an “abandonedshopping cart”, namely, a virtual shopping cart that the consumer addeditems thereto, and then failed to fully complete a check-out and paymentprocess; such that such items in such “abandoned shopping cart” aretreated by the conventional systems as non-purchased, and conventionalsystems do not force payment for such items which they regard asnon-purchased.

In contrast, the present invention may determine through an abandonedtab module, that the consumer exited the business establishment withoutclosing the purchase tab and without paying for the accumulatedpurchased items within a pre-defined time period; and then, the systemautomatically closes the purchase tab and proceeds to initiateelectronic payment to the business establishment from an electronicaccount of the “abandoning” consumer. The present invention may thustreat a partially-performed transaction, which the consumer did not“complete” by confirming a final bill, as if it was pre-authorized bythe consumer; and may do an automatic “check out” and payment on behalfof the consumer, instead of discarding those items as non-purchased (asthe conventional systems may do).

In accordance with the present invention, the system (a remote server,or the PoS terminal of the merchant, or the mobile device of theconsumer) may generate a unique time-sensitive per-consumer code, whichmay be generated uniquely for the particular mobile device of theparticular consumer located in the particular establishment location.The unique code may be generated based on, for example, data indicatingthe geo-spatial location of the consumer's smartphone, and/or dataindicating the current date and/or time, and/or current time-and-datestamp, and/or data identifying the merchant whose establishment orrestaurant or store the consumer is now visiting. The unique code mayautomatically expire or “burn out”, or may be otherwise terminated orcanceled or written-off, upon entry of the unique code to the PoSterminal; in order to prevent re-use or duplicate-use of the uniquecode.

In some embodiments, the unique code may be a four-digit number whichmay be time-based, location-based, and user-based in order to ensureuniqueness; and that the consumer may easily show to the merchant, orconvey to the merchant verbally, and which the merchant may rapidly typeor enter into the PoS terminal in order to finalize the associationprocess. In other embodiments, the unique code may be a Quick Response(QR) code representing a number which may be a function of time-baseddata, location-based data, and user-based data in order to ensureuniqueness; the consumer may show the QR code on his mobile device tothe merchant, who may use a QR scanner to scan the QR code into the PoSterminal, thereby finalizing the association process. Other suitablemethods may be used.

The unique code may be calculated remotely (e.g., by a remote server),and may be sent (e.g., securely, wirelessly) to the mobile device of theconsumer and also to the PoS terminal of the merchant. Optionally, onlythe remote server may be able to calculate and generate the unique code,based on data that the remote server may have with regard to theconsumer's smartphone and data with regard to the particular merchant;and optionally, the consumer smartphone by itself (or similar, the PoSterminal by itself) may not be capable of generating the uniqueper-customer code, since it may not have all the data items that onlythe remote server may have and which may be required for remotelygenerating the unique code.

In some embodiments, for example, the unique code may be a four-digitnumber, a three-digit number, a five digit number; or a three-characterstring, or four character string, or five character string; or may be acode or word or PIN that the consumer may be able to easily convey tothe merchant, and that the merchant may be able to easily enter into thePoS terminal in order to instantly make an ongoing association between(a) an open tab (or a newly-opened tab, or a tab currently being opened)of the consumer and (b) a credit-card or debit-card or bank-accountrecord associated with the particular consumer and located or storedremotely (on the remote server of the system administrator) and/orlocally (e.g., on the smartphone of the consumer).

Portions of the discussion herein may relate, for demonstrativepurposes, to an open tab which may be continuously managed at a PoSterminal and may be remotely controlled (e.g., may be forced to beclosed) by a customer via his mobile device. However, some embodimentsof the present invention may be used in conjunction with other types oftransactions that may occur at real-world stores or establishments oreateries; for example, allowing a customer to utilize his mobile devicein order to view, manage, and self-checkout and pay for items that thecustomer is purchasing over-the-counter at a store or eatery, or foritems that the customer is purchasing and do not necessarily requireseating or full-service by a waiter, or for discrete transactions orindividual transactions (e.g., rather than an accumulated stream ofordered items), or in situations where the customer orders and pays andonly then receives the item and/or consumes the item (e.g.,over-the-counter purchases), or the like. The present invention may thusbe used, similarly, with these and other suitable types of transactions.

The present invention may be implemented in various ways, for example:(a) a stand-alone business-to-consumer (B2C) application forsmartphones, tablets and/or mobile devices, which may operate inconjunction with a suitable corresponding module on a remote serverand/or installed on a PoS terminal of the merchant; (b) abusiness-to-business (B2B) solution or module, such as, an integratedmodule which may be integrated or plugged-in into an existing or newmobile application of a merchant, allowing the merchant to offer to itsconsumers the “self check-out” or the “instant check-out” option, or theoption for initiating and performing a consumer-initiated andconsumer-completed check-out process with the need for furtherconfirmation or actions on behalf of the merchant's personnel; (c) aWhite-Label (WL) solution or module, such as a full white-label mobileapplication that the system administrator may develop for a particularmerchant or vendor or establishment, integrating therein the instantcheckout or self-checkout features of the present invention, as well asother content which may be unique to the merchant or establishment(e.g., logo, slogan, menu of products, prices, product descriptions,coupons, promotions, consumer club or loyalty club features, merchantlocation finder, or the like).

In some embodiments, the system may automatically create a VirtualLoyalty Club membership for any user that utilizes the mobileapplication of the present invention (e.g., the stand-alone B2Capplication, or a white-label application, or a merchant applicationthat contains or utilizes the B2B module of the present invention). Forexample, the consumer may utilize his smartphone in order to do a selfcheck-out at a coffee-shop. The application may generate a new LoyaltyClub member number for this user, relative to this particularestablishment or merchant (or chain of stores, or chain of restaurants,or the like); and may create a new record in a Loyalty Club databasewhich may be stored on the remote server of the system and/or on the PoSterminal(s) of the merchant and/or on the smartphone of the consumer.The Loyalty Club record may aggregate and log all the data aboutpurchases that the consumer performed, with details about the itemspurchased, the time-and-date of each purchase, and optionally theprice(s) paid and the type of product(s) purchased (e.g., a coffee item;a bakery item; or the like). This may be performed without theconsumer's knowledge, and/or without requiring the consumer topre-approve joining (or actively joining) the Loyalty Club.Subsequently, the loyalty club module may automatically and/orautonomously detect that the accumulated past purchases that he consumerperformed, already entitle the consumer (or, are about to benefit theconsumer soon) with a prize or coupon or discount or free item; and theloyalty club module may notify the consumer about such entitlement, andmay further generate and show to the consumer a unique code or couponthat entitled him to such prize or free item or coupon, once shown tothe merchant. This may allow automatic and in-the-backgrounduser-transparent creation of Loyalty Club membership; automaticaccumulation and logging of purchase data into such Loyalty Club record;and automatic identification or detection of eligibility (or projectedeligibility) for benefits due to past transactions; all these, withoutrequiring the user to positively join the Loyalty Club prior toaccumulating such benefits or logging such past transactions.

The present invention may provide a system for efficient, real-time,ongoing association between a PoS terminal of an establishment, and amobile device of a consumer that visits an establishment in order topurchase goods and/or services, optionally in an ongoing transaction inwhich the consumers adds items or products to a “tab” that is maintainedopen, and optionally while the consumer continues to order items orproducts and services which may be supplied (e.g., served, brought) tothe consumer while the consumer may still keep the tab open and withoutrequiring the consumer to finalize the transaction, to pay, or to “checkout” yet. The real-time association means that the consumer may view hisopen tab in real time; if the tab is modified, such as when the consumerrequests to consume another food item and the waiter updates the tab atthe PoS of the restaurant, the tab that the consumer can see on hismobile device is similarly updated, and the consumer may see theup-to-date tab at any given moment after the initial association.Additionally, the consumer may perform, one-sidedly, an instant checkoutor a self-checkout, forcing the system and/or the PoS terminal to closethe open tab, and forcing the system to perform a payment from a paymentmethod or payment article (e.g., credit card, debit card, bank account)associated with the consumer, to the merchant or to the merchant'saccount at a payment processing system; without requiring the consumerto request a check to be generated by a waiter, without requiring thePoS terminal to close the open tab so that the consumer can pay andleave, without requiring actual immediate knowledge of the merchant'semployees that the consumer is currently closing the tab autonomouslyand paying via a pre-defined payment method. In some embodiments, if theconsumer leaves the establishment without paying, then the system maydetect that the open tab has been open for a pre-defined period of time(e.g., 60 or 90 or 120 minutes), and may force a closure of the open taband may further force and perform a debit to the consumer's pre-definedmethod of payment, since the tab was abandoned by the consumer. This maybe in direct contrast to various “virtual shopping cart” systems, inwhich a consumer that only added items to a virtual shopping cart, butdid not actively perform a complete check-out process including activepost-purchase payment, is not billed and is not debited by the merchant;and rather, such “abandoned” virtual shopping cart is typicallyregarded, in conventional systems, as a partial attempt to perform atransaction that has been abandoned by the consumer and is not forced tobe completed (e.g., with payment by the consumer) from the merchant'sside.

In some embodiments, a method (e.g., implemented by a system comprisingat least a hardware component) comprises: (a) storing in a database acustomer profile comprising payment method information pre-defined bysaid customer; (b) wirelessly receiving from a mobile device of thecustomer a wireless signal indicating that the customer is visiting aparticular business establishment; (c) generating a user-specific codethat is a function of, at least, (A) current date-and-time data, and (B)geo-spatial location of the particular business establishment, and (C)customer-specific data; (d) wirelessly sending to the mobile device ofthe customer said user-specific code; (e) receiving a signal from aPoint of Sale (PoS) terminal of said particular business establishment,indicating entry of said user-specific code into said PoS terminal; (f)based on the user-specific code, that was sent to the mobile device ofthe customer, and that was entered at the PoS terminal of theestablishment, creating an ongoing and real-time association between anopen tab of ongoing purchases of said customer at said particularbusiness establishment; (g) wirelessly receiving from said mobile deviceof the customer another wireless signal indicating that the customercommands to force closure of said open tab; (h) remotely closing saidopen tab of said customer at said particular business establishment,without receiving confirmation for said closure from said particularbusiness establishment; (i) performing electronic payment from saidcustomer to said particular business establishment for said tab that wasclosed by the customer, using said pre-defined payment methodinformation.

In some embodiments, the user-specific code comprises a numerical codethat is suitable for entry into the PoS terminal via typing. In someembodiments, the user-specific code comprises a Quick Response (QR) codeto be displayed on the mobile device of the customer and which isscan-able by a scanner of said PoS terminal.

In some embodiments, the method comprises: detecting that a pre-definedtime period elapsed since creation of the open tab; forcing automaticclosure of said open tab; forcing an automatic check-out process of thecustomer from said business establishment, by performing electronicpayment by the customer via the payment method information pre-definedby said customer, for all items accumulated in said open tab.

In some embodiments, the method comprises: if the open tab of thecustomer accumulated one or more items, and the customer does notperform one-sidedly a check-out process within a pre-defined timeperiod, then: forcing automatic closure of said open tab; forcing anautomatic check-out process of the customer from said businessestablishment, by performing electronic payment by the customer via thepayment method information pre-defined by said customer, for all itemsaccumulated in said open tab.

In some embodiments, the method comprises: wirelessly receiving from thePoS terminal a request to associate between (A) the mobile device of thecustomer, and (B) the open tab of the customer at the PoS terminal,based on an entered code; comparing the entered code to theuser-specific code generated at step (c); unauthorizing to associatebetween (A) the mobile device of the customer, and (B) the open tab ofthe customer at the PoS terminal, if the entered code differs from theuser-specific code generated at step (c).

In some embodiments, the method comprises: enabling the customer toutilize said mobile device of the customer for (A) forcing closure ofthe open tab at the business establishment, and (B) forcing selfcheck-out and electronic payment of the customer for items accumulatedin said open tab, without requiring manual input from an operator of thePoS terminal of the business establishment.

In some embodiments, the method comprises: automatically enrolling saidcustomer in a virtual loyalty club for customers of said businessestablishment, based on at least one self check-out operation that thecustomer performed relative to said business establishment.

In some embodiments, the method comprises: automatically generating amembership record for said customer, in a virtual loyalty club forcustomers of said business establishment; each time that the customerutilizes the mobile device to perform a self check-out at said businessestablishment, marking an additional purchase in said membership recordof the customer in the virtual loyalty club, without requiring thecustomer to request said marking from an operator of the PoS terminal,without requiring the customer to show to the operator of the PoSterminal any code indicating membership in the virtual loyalty club,without requiring the operator of the PoS terminal to approve saidmarking, without requiring the operator of the PoS terminal to manuallyperform said marking.

In some embodiments, the method comprises: determining the geo-spatiallocation of said mobile device of the customer; and based on thegeo-spatial location of said mobile device, determining the identity ofsaid business establishment; utilizing said identity of the businessestablishment as a parameter for generating the user-specific code instep (c).

In some embodiments, the method comprises: determining the geo-spatiallocation of said mobile device of the customer; and generating a list ofcandidate establishments that are located in proximity to saidgeo-spatial location of the mobile device of the customer; causing themobile device of the customer to display said list of candidateestablishments; wirelessly receiving from the mobile device of thecustomer, a wireless signal indicating user selection of one of thecandidate establishments on said list; utilizing an identity of thebusiness establishment selected by the customer, as a parameter forgenerating the user-specific code in step (c).

In some embodiments, the method comprises: determining whether saidbusiness establishment is (A) a primary establishment in which saidcustomer utilized self-checkout for a first time, or (B) a secondaryestablishment in which said customer utilized self-checkout after saiduser had already utilized self-checkout at one or more otherestablishments; if the business establishment is a primaryestablishment, then, charging the primary establishment a firstprocessing fee; if the business establishment is a secondaryestablishment, then, charging the secondary establishment a secondprocessing fee which is greater than the first processing fee.

In some embodiments, the method is implemented on a computer comprisingat least a hardware component.

In some embodiments, the step (b) comprises: wirelessly receiving from aself-checkout mobile application installed on said mobile device of thecustomer, said wireless signal indicating that the customer is visitinga particular business establishment.

Discussions herein utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing,”“computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other information storage medium that may storeinstructions to perform operations and/or processes.

The terms “plurality” or “a plurality” as used herein include, forexample, “multiple” or “two or more”. For example, “a plurality ofitems” includes two or more items.

Some embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment,an entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment including bothhardware and software elements. Some embodiments may be implemented insoftware, which includes but is not limited to firmware, residentsoftware, microcode, or the like.

Furthermore, some embodiments may take the form of a computer programproduct accessible from a computer-usable or computer-readable mediumproviding program code for use by or in connection with a computer orany instruction execution system. For example, a computer-usable orcomputer-readable medium may be or may include any apparatus that cancontain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for useby or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice.

In some embodiments, the machine-readable or computer-readable ordevice-readable medium may be or may include an electronic, magnetic,optical, electromagnetic, InfraRed (IR), or semiconductor system (orapparatus or device) or a propagation medium. Some demonstrativeexamples of a computer-readable medium may include a semiconductor orsolid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette, aRandom Access Memory (RAM), a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a rigid magneticdisk, an optical disk, or the like. Some demonstrative examples ofoptical disks include Compact Disk-Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM), CompactDisk-Read/Write (CD-R/W), DVD, or the like.

In some embodiments, a data processing system suitable for storingand/or executing program code may include at least one processor orcontroller or circuitry which may be coupled directly or indirectly tomemory elements, for example, through a system bus. The memory elementsmay include, for example, local memory employed during actual executionof the program code, bulk storage, and cache memories which may providetemporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce thenumber of times code must be retrieved from bulk storage duringexecution.

In some embodiments, input/output or I/O devices or components(including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices,etc.) may be coupled to the system either directly or throughintervening I/O controllers. In some embodiments, network adapters maybe coupled to the system to enable the data processing system to becomecoupled to other data processing systems or remote printers or storagedevices, for example, through intervening private or public networks. Insome embodiments, modems, cable modems and Ethernet cards aredemonstrative examples of types of network adapters. Other suitablecomponents may be used.

Some embodiments may be implemented by software, by hardware, or by anycombination of software and/or hardware as may be suitable for specificapplications or in accordance with specific design requirements. Someembodiments may include units and/or sub-units, which may be separate ofeach other or combined together, in whole or in part, and may beimplemented using specific, multi-purpose or general processors orcontrollers. Some embodiments may include buffers, registers, stacks,storage units and/or memory units, for temporary or long-term storage ofdata or in order to facilitate the operation of particularimplementations.

Some embodiments may be implemented, for example, using amachine-readable medium or article which may store an instruction or aset of instructions that, if executed by a machine, cause the machine toperform a method and/or operations described herein. Such machine mayinclude, for example, any suitable processing platform, computingplatform, computing device, processing device, electronic device,electronic system, computing system, processing system, computer,processor, or the like, and may be implemented using any suitablecombination of hardware and/or software. The machine-readable medium orarticle may include, for example, any suitable type of memory unit,memory device, memory article, memory medium, storage device, storagearticle, storage medium and/or storage unit; for example, memory,removable or non-removable media, erasable or non-erasable media,writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analog media, hard diskdrive, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), Compact DiskRecordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Re-Writeable (CD-RW), optical disk,magnetic media, various types of Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), a tape,a cassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable typeof code, for example, source code, compiled code, interpreted code,executable code, static code, dynamic code, or the like, and may beimplemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented,visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language, e.g., C, C++,Java, BASIC, Pascal, Fortran, Cobol, assembly language, machine code, orthe like.

Functions, operations, components and/or features described herein withreference to one or more embodiments, may be combined with, or may beutilized in combination with, one or more other functions, operations,components and/or features described herein with reference to one ormore other embodiments, or vice versa.

While certain features of some embodiments have been illustrated anddescribed herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, andequivalents may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, theclaims are intended to cover all such modifications, substitutions,changes, and equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: (a) storing in a database acustomer profile comprising payment method information pre-defined bysaid customer; (b) wirelessly receiving from a mobile device of thecustomer a wireless signal indicating that the customer is visiting aparticular business establishment; (c) generating a user-specific codethat is a function of, at least, (A) current date-and-time data, and (B)geo-spatial location of the particular business establishment, and (C)customer-specific data; (d) wirelessly sending to the mobile device ofthe customer said user-specific code; (e) receiving a signal from aPoint of Sale (PoS) terminal of said particular business establishment,indicating entry of said user-specific code into said PoS terminal; (f)based on the user-specific code, that was sent to the mobile device ofthe customer, and that was entered at the PoS terminal of theestablishment, creating an ongoing and real-time association between anopen tab of ongoing purchases of said customer at said particularbusiness establishment; (g) wirelessly receiving from said mobile deviceof the customer another wireless signal indicating that the customercommands to force closure of said open tab; (h) remotely closing saidopen tab of said customer at said particular business establishment,without receiving confirmation for said closure from said particularbusiness establishment; (i) performing electronic payment from saidcustomer to said particular business establishment for said tab that wasclosed by the customer, using said pre-defined payment methodinformation.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specific codecomprises a numerical code that is suitable for entry into the PoSterminal via typing.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-specificcode comprises a Quick Response (QR) code to be displayed on the mobiledevice of the customer and which is scan-able by a scanner of said PoSterminal.
 4. The method of claim 1, comprising: detecting that apre-defined time period elapsed since creation of the open tab; forcingautomatic closure of said open tab; forcing an automatic check-outprocess of the customer from said business establishment, by performingelectronic payment by the customer via the payment method informationpre-defined by said customer, for all items accumulated in said opentab.
 5. The method of claim 1, comprising: if the open tab of thecustomer accumulated one or more items, and the customer does notperform one-sidedly a check-out process within a pre-defined timeperiod, then: forcing automatic closure of said open tab; forcing anautomatic check-out process of the customer from said businessestablishment, by performing electronic payment by the customer via thepayment method information pre-defined by said customer, for all itemsaccumulated in said open tab.
 6. The method of claim 1, comprising:wirelessly receiving from the PoS terminal a request to associatebetween (A) the mobile device of the customer, and (B) the open tab ofthe customer at the PoS terminal, based on an entered code; comparingthe entered code to the user-specific code generated at step (c);unauthorizing to associate between (A) the mobile device of thecustomer, and (B) the open tab of the customer at the PoS terminal, ifthe entered code differs from the user-specific code generated at step(c).
 7. The method of claim 1, comprising: enabling the customer toutilize said mobile device of the customer for (A) forcing closure ofthe open tab at the business establishment, and (B) forcing selfcheck-out and electronic payment of the customer for items accumulatedin said open tab, without requiring manual input from an operator of thePoS terminal of the business establishment.
 8. The method of claim 1,comprising: automatically enrolling said customer in a virtual loyaltyclub for customers of said business establishment, based on at least oneself check-out operation that the customer performed relative to saidbusiness establishment.
 9. The method of claim 8, comprising:automatically generating a membership record for said customer, in avirtual loyalty club for customers of said business establishment; eachtime that the customer utilizes the mobile device to perform a selfcheck-out at said business establishment, marking an additional purchasein said membership record of the customer in the virtual loyalty club,without requiring the customer to request said marking from an operatorof the PoS terminal, without requiring the customer to show to theoperator of the PoS terminal any code indicating membership in thevirtual loyalty club, without requiring the operator of the PoS terminalto approve said marking, without requiring the operator of the PoSterminal to manually perform said marking.
 10. The method of claim 1,further comprising: determining the geo-spatial location of said mobiledevice of the customer; and based on the geo-spatial location of saidmobile device, determining the identity of said business establishment;utilizing said identity of the business establishment as a parameter forgenerating the user-specific code in step (c).
 11. The method of claim1, further comprising: determining the geo-spatial location of saidmobile device of the customer; and generating a list of candidateestablishments that are located in proximity to said geo-spatiallocation of the mobile device of the customer; causing the mobile deviceof the customer to display said list of candidate establishments;wirelessly receiving from the mobile device of the customer, a wirelesssignal indicating user selection of one of the candidate establishmentson said list; utilizing an identity of the business establishmentselected by the customer, as a parameter for generating theuser-specific code in step (c).
 12. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining whether said business establishment is (A) aprimary establishment in which said customer utilized self-checkout fora first time, or (B) a secondary establishment in which said customerutilized self-checkout after said user had already utilizedself-checkout at one or more other establishments; if the businessestablishment is a primary establishment, then, charging the primaryestablishment a first processing fee; if the business establishment is asecondary establishment, then, charging the secondary establishment asecond processing fee which is greater than the first processing fee.13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented on acomputer comprising at least a hardware component.
 14. The method ofclaim 1, wherein step (b) comprises: wirelessly receiving from aself-checkout mobile application installed on said mobile device of thecustomer, said wireless signal indicating that the customer is visitinga particular business establishment.